SARANAGATI

Asval put a number of difficult questions on Vedic lore which Yajna-valkya answered to the entire satisfaction of all. After Aswal was thus silenced, many other Rishis like Artabhag, Bhujyu and Kapol questioned Yajna-valkya with the object of showing that the latter’s claim was not justified, but they too were silenced by the replies given by the Great Rishi.

Thereafter a young women named Gargi, daughter of Rishi Vachaknava, who was known to be a highly accomplished and erudite girl, interrogated Yajnavalkya thus:

Q. This earth is permeated by water. Can you say what water in its turn is permeated by?
A. Water is permeated by air.
Q. What is it that permeates the air?
A. It is permeated by ether.
Q. By what substance is ether permeated?
A. Ether is permeated by heaven (Gandharvaloka)
Q. By what is Gandharvaloka supported?
A. By the sun (Adityaloka)
Q. What supports Adityaloka?
A. Chandraloka, the region of the moon.
Q. What region supports Chandra-loka?
A. By Nakshatraloka, the stellar region.
Q. Can you tell me where Nakshatraloka exists?
A. In Devaloka, the abode of the gods.